Sports Watches of BaselWorld ‘19
Hiren Kumar Bose picks up four sports watches unveiled at the recent watch jamboree
BREITLING Premier B01 Chronograph Norton Edition
A potent representation of a partnership between two iconic brands that share intriguingly similar timelines and powerful legacies, the 42mm watch expresses the style and performance of refined Swiss watch brand and a motorcycle brand renowned for its exclusive British engineering. A part of Breitling’s Premier collection, it makes a bold urban chic style statement. Its stainless-steel case, water-resistant to 100m has a “Norton” logo engraved on a plate on the left side of the case, and the transparent caseback features a printed Norton motorcycle and logo. The automatic chronograph watch has a certified chronometer and date. The elegant black dial with golden numerals and hour and minute hands offers an intriguing contrast to the brown vintage raw-leather strap.
HUBLOT Classic Fusion Ferrari GT
The 45mm watch imagined and designed in partnership with Flavio Manzoni, Head of Design at Ferrari features a watchmaking chassis that is both classic and contemporary, and perfectly in keeping with the stylistic codes of ‘Gran Turismo’ racing. This noble, high-tech watch is dressed in Carbon 3D fibre, a three-dimensional woven composite with polymer matrix that is new to the world of fine watchmaking. The highly resistant Carbon 3D fibre provides unyielding protection for the Manufacture UNICO HUB 1280 movement with column-wheel flyback chronograph. The Classic Fusion Ferrari GT is available with a choice of three cases: Carbon 3D fibre, King Gold (limited to 500 timepieces) or titanium (limited to 1,000 timepieces).
TAG Heuer’s Autavia
Inspired by the original Autavia (comes from the combination of automobile and aviation) wristwatches and dashboard timers of the 1960s, that was used in racing cars and aircraft, the new Autavia collection brings together functional, versatile style and cutting-edge technology. Each 42mm Autavia watch is equipped with TAG Heuer’s proprietary carbon-composite hairspring, “Isograph”. The name Autavia comes from the combination of automobile and aviation. Every new TAG Heuer Autavia has a propeller and tire etched into the caseback in commemoration of this. The bevelled lugs and the name echo those of the original, but the watch contains a state-of-the-art movement, with an isograph carbon-composite hairspring, and a tough, scratch-resistant ceramic bezel. The brown leather strap is interchangeable, with a stainless steel bracelet option available.
CARL F. BUCHERER Patravi Scubatec Black Manta Special Edition
The remarkable 500-m water resistance of this 44.6 mm watch means you can swim with the manta rays that inspired it. And in order to ensure there will be plenty of the gentle sea creatures to swim with, part of the proceeds from its sale will be donated to the Manta Trust charity. The trust leads global research projects and awareness campaigns to help preserve this endangered species. The ultra-light titanium case is coated with black DLC, and includes a helium release valve. Two silhouettes of manta rays adorn the centre of the black dial, framed by indexes covered in Super-LumiNova, framed by a unidirectional bezel made of tough titanium and ceramic. The automatic movement, calibre 1950.1 is COSC certified.
